


and in this moment, we are perfect (we are whole, and we are beautiful)

by ThirteenthMouse6572



Series: SW Drabbles & Shorts [8]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Afterlife, Alternate Universe - Afterlife, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Reunions, The Force
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:14:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23945272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThirteenthMouse6572/pseuds/ThirteenthMouse6572
Summary: Cody never really thought there was an afterlife. Sure, the Jedi said that everyone ‘joined the Force’ when they died, but what did that really mean? Heaven? Some strange limbo?
Relationships: Boil & CC-2224 | Cody, Boil (Star Wars) & Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-2224 | Cody & Waxer, CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Waxer
Series: SW Drabbles & Shorts [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1813846
Comments: 17
Kudos: 323





	and in this moment, we are perfect (we are whole, and we are beautiful)

**Author's Note:**

> fluff after the latest episode of the clone wars, i hope y'all enjoy
> 
> title from TEDtalk “My stroke of insight” by Jill Bolte Taylor

Cody never really thought there was an afterlife. Sure, the tra– _Jedi_ , he reminded himself, said that everyone ‘joined the Force’ when they died, but what did that really _mean_? Heaven? Some strange limbo? Even if it _was_ real, Cody never thought that he would go wherever ‘the Force’ was. If not because he was a clone, because of all the awful _shit_ he did in his lifetime (including trying to kill his own _General_ ).

So, when Cody finally died – after way too long, in his personal opinion – on the battlefield, surrounded by plain white Stormtrooper armour, he was surprised to wake up again. He was sat in front of the window on the observation deck of _The Negotiator_ (that nobody really knew the purpose of on a _battlecruiser_ ), staring out at the glittering lights of stars and far-off galaxies against the black void of space. The only thing that marked that he was on his home was the various names in white marker scribbled on the window and walls.

Cody was still in armour, but he stared, perplexed, at the long-forgotten patterns of the 212th’s golden paint coating the white plastoid. His helmet sat beside his leg; the cracked paint that used to coat it replaced with what looked like a fresh coat of just-dried paint.

“ _Su cuy’gar, vod_.”

Cody’s head snapped up and around to the voice and he froze when he came face-to-face with a helmet he would recognise anywhere. There were more tally marks than the last time Cody saw (or else the chip had _severely_ affected Cody’s memory), but the drawing of the small Twi’lek girl was still the same.

“Waxer?” Cody breathed out, afraid to move from his sitting position on the metal floor. “What... _me’bana?_ ”

Waxer pulled off his helmet and offered a hand to Cody, who stared at it hesitantly for a few seconds before grasping it and allowing Waxer to pull him up. “Come on, _vod_ , we’ve been waiting for our Commander for a while.” Every word that came out of Waxer’s mouth just confused Cody more and more.

Despite his confusion, Cody grabbed his helmet and followed Waxer out of the observation deck and through the corridors. Some troopers (all lost to either the war or the Empire) practically radiated joy at seeing Cody, saluting lazily or, in some cases, shouting ‘Commander!’ happily at him as they passed. Cody returned their greetings with a smile and nod, saying the names that he never _truly_ forgot.

Waxer led him to the barracks and stopped outside the door, looking back at Cody patiently. Said door had been painted with colours from each of the various battalions, legions and corps of the GAR, looking a lot like a child’s painting with the splashes of paint (and what looked like a large spot where someone had emptied a whole can of 212th gold in the middle).

“Ready?” Waxer asked, hand hovering over the keypad to enter. Cody took a breath (do dead people need to breathe?) and nodded, shifting his helmet on his hip. The door opened with a hiss and whatever noise was being made stopped as Cody stepped into the barracks.

His eyes scanned every face, every trooper, and Cody felt as if he could cry as he picked out each trooper who had been lost to the 212th over time. He _did_ begin to cry as Boil picked his way through the groups of men to stand in front of Cody and Waxer.

“Commander,” Boil said, nodding in greeting. The seriousness of his voice was offset by the grin across his face, reaching his eyes.

Cody didn’t grace the greeting with a verbal response, instead, he pulled Boil into a hug which resulted in Cody’s helmet dropped on the ground with a _clack_. “It’s good to see you again, Boil,” he muttered, voice muffled by Boil’s shoulder.

“It’s good to see you as well, _al’verde_ ,” Boil said, squeezing Cody tightly. “Was wondering when you’d join us.”

Cody laughed and pulled away, wiping away the tears that had begun to form in the corner of his eyes. “Honestly? So was I. Had enough of that damn war for one lifetime,” he joked.

“Come on, _al’verde_ ,” Waxer said, nudging Cody’s shoulder with his own. “Let’s go meet your troops again, yeah?”

Nodding, Cody began to reacquaint himself with the troopers sitting on the ground and occupying bunks. Some he recognised from the war with the Separatists and remembered saying their names in remembrance from beside a burning funeral pyre. Others he knew survived the war and had to suffer through the Order that took away their free will. He silently thanked the Force (or whatever decided when they died) that they didn’t need to suffer too long.

He wondered where General Kenobi was. Was he still alive, in the Galaxy somewhere? Or had he died and gone somewhere else in whatever afterlife the Jedi had? Cody silently hoped the General hadn’t needed to suffer in a world where Skywa– _Vader_ lived, consumed by the Sith. He wondered where Rex was...

* * *

It had been… weeks? Months? Cody lost track of time, really. The artificial day/night cycle continued on the ship but there was no indicator as to whether he slept for 8 hours or 32. All he knew was that they slowly gained more and more of the 212th from the clutches of the Stormtroopers and the control chip, as well as some shinies that had never been assigned a battalion.

Rex was still alive, he found, when he discovered that _The Negotiator_ was connected, for lack of a better word, to the other flagships of the GAR. It had been a few tear-filled hours as he caught up with his Commander _vode_.

Cody also met some Generals (who insisted not to be called Generals now that they were, well, _dead_ ) along the way who had fallen to either the Order or Sidious. He also got a hold of the video where Wolffe cried after meeting General Koon, which was both sad and hilarious at the same time.

Since the Jedi ended up in the same place the clones did – as far as Cody knew – that meant that either General Kenobi was avoiding the entire GAR, _or_ he hadn’t died yet. Cody didn’t know which was worse, especially in the state the galaxy was in now.

Then, one day he woke up at 4 in the morning. The lights were still dimmed and the sticky glow-in-the-dark stars someone managed to get on a shore leave at some point were still visible against the ceiling. He looked around the barracks in confusion, wondering why he had woken up when he didn’t have a patrol shift (old habits die hard).

Instead of going back to sleep, he sighed and rolled out of the bunk. Might as well go do something productive since he was up anyway, he reasoned. As he walked, something urged him to go to the observation deck. Maybe they’d gotten a new arrival, Cody wondered as he followed the path towards the deck.

As he reached the observation deck, something made him hesitate before the door. A small part in the back of his mind told him to be prepared for what he was about to see. He frowned a little and opened the door, stepping inside and looking to where most troopers ended up when they came.

Cody paused as he noticed the red hair and just _exactly_ who it was attached to. He wanted to just turn and _leave_ to not face the Jedi (who was shifting and groaning as he woke up) but he wouldn’t be able to avoid the General _forever_. He took a breath and stepped further into the room, stopping a meter or so from the Jedi.

He watched silently as the Jedi pushed himself up into a sitting position and stared out of the window into the void. “General?” Cody said hesitantly, shifting his weight foot-to-foot.

General Kenobi turned his head quickly enough that Cody was sure he would’ve gotten whiplash. _He hasn’t aged a day,_ Cody noted. “Cody?” the General asked, standing up slowly. They stared at each other in silence, Cody watching as the General’s eyes scanned his body as if he were going to disappear soon. “Is it really you?”

Cody nodded, giving the Jedi a smile. “It’s me, sir. Welcome back to _The Negotiator_ ,” he said. He didn’t expect the sudden hug he was given, nor the quiet sobs coming from his General. Unsure of what to do, Cody followed his regular procedure for comforting shinies and gently shushed the General, running a hand through his hair rhythmically.

“I knew I’d see you again,” General Kenobi said, pulling away from the hug and wiping his eyes. “Didn’t know it would be when we died, unless I’m just hallucinating again.”

The statement concerned Cody a lot, but he didn’t ask about it. “You’re not hallucinating, sir. The afterlife isn’t as bad as I’d have thought, although some shinies still need to get to know the routines.” He watched the emotions flick across the General’s face. “Come on, sir, you have a few people to meet.”

“You don’t need to call me ‘sir’, Cody. The GAR is long gone,” the General said, allowing Cody to lead him out of the observation room and into the corridor.

Cody nodded, giving the General a grin. “The GAR isn’t gone, sir. We just... relocated.” As they turned a corner they were met with Boil and Waxer, who perked up at the presence of their General.

“General Kenobi!” Waxer said happily as Cody and the General approached, “it’s good to have you back on board. Cody’s been running the place and he needs some help.” Cody sent Waxer a glare but didn’t dispute it.

“It’s lovely to see my _verde_ again,” General Kenobi replied. His voice sounded wet and thick, but Cody didn’t blame him. He felt the same when he first woke up. “I’m guessing everyone else is here, as well? I can’t feel anything from the Force.”

“Some are still trapped, but we’ve got a majority of them back, sir,” Boil said. “Nearly all of the GAR has joined us, clones and Jedi alike.”

“Jedi?” General Kenobi asked. “There are other Jedi here?”

Cody tilted his head in confusion. “Everyone’s here, sir. Some Jedi that weren’t even part of the GAR visit every now and again. I believe this is what you _jetii_ call ‘the Force.’”

The General blinked and ran a hand through his beard. “Well, I have a long time to get reacquainted with people. May I speak with you in private, Cody?”

“Of course, sir. Your quarters are where they always were,” Cody replied. General Kenobi nodded and turned to Boil and Waxer, who were sharing a look with each other.

“I’ll see you two gentlemen later,” he said, smiling gently at them. Boil and Waxer saluted in reply, throwing matching grins at the Jedi.

Cody and the General walked the path to the General’s quarters, hands brushing together as they walked closely. Cody’s heart was beating faster than usual, for a reason Cody didn’t really want to think about right at that moment. His General was back, and that was all that mattered, not his weird emotions regarding the Jedi.

Once they reached the door to the quarters, General Kenobi froze in front of it with his hand hovering over the keypad. Cody stayed quiet and gave him time to process everything. Slowly, the General typed in the keycode to the door and stared as the door opened, revealing the untouched yet dust-free quarters.

Cody let the General take the first step over the threshold, moving as if in a trance. Cody hadn’t been in the quarters at all since he arrived, too afraid to invade the General’s space, even if he wasn’t there. The bunk was made, desk paperwork-free, and a small kettle and collection of tea sat on the small table at the back of the room.

“Force…” the General breathed. “I haven’t had anything this nice for a long time.”

“What do you mean, sir?” Cody asked, taking a step into the room and standing beside the General.

General Kenobi turned and faced him, eyes sad and far away. “For the last… 16 years of my life, I was living on Tatooine alone in a hut. I… sometimes I saw people when I went into Mos Eisley or saw–” he paused and shook his head. “Let’s just say, a small hut in the desert isn’t the most comfortable or luxurious of places.”

Cody wished he had been there for the General, rather than being a _tool_ for the Empire. Whoever killed his General was going to _pay_ when Cody got his hands on them. Even if it was some Sith, he would walk directly into whatever fiery pit they went to after they died just to kill them again.

“You can have anything you could ever need here, sir,” Cody said. “Nobody is ever without around here.”

“I’m glad, Cody. You all deserve so much more than you ever got.” General Kenobi wiped at his eyes and chuckled softly. “I do hope I didn’t keep you all waiting too long, I picked up the habit of staying alive even when it was an inconvenience to others once the Empire rose.”

“To be honest, sir, I don’t know how long it’s been since I… died,” Cody replied. “I don’t know how time passes here compared to the living world. We’ve got chronometers that seem to be keeping the right time, but that’s all we have to go off. You haven’t kept us waiting too long.”

General Kenobi smiled. “I’m glad, Cody.” He took a breath. “It’s good to see you again. You look as good as the last time we saw each other.” Cody felt a blush rising to his cheeks and tried to fight it down.

“So do you, sir,” Cody responded. “Only as many grey hairs as we used to give you.” He grinned playfully, but in truth, he couldn’t see a single grey hair on the General’s head, even in his beard. It was strange, how the General was just as handsome as when Cody first laid eyes on him, before the war had started. “I’m sorry… for trying to shoot–”

“Cody,” the General interrupted, “the order wasn’t your fault. There is nothing to apologise for. I forgave you a long time ago, my dearest, you do not need to say sorry.” He stepped forward, into Cody’s personal space, and placed a hand on Cody’s cheek.

Cody leaned into the hand. He had more physical contact with his _vode_ in one day on _The Negotiator_ than he had in the years of service for the Empire, but feeling the touch of someone who wasn’t a brother was… pleasant, to say the least. The General ran his thumb across Cody’s cheekbone, pulling a shaky sigh from Cody’s lips. “I missed you,” Cody breathed out. Obi-Wan bent his head down and pressed his forehead to Cody’s, sending warmth up Cody’s neck and to his ears.

“I missed you as well, dear one,” General Kenobi muttered, breath ghosting over Cody’s nose. Cody hesitated for a moment before bringing his hands up to his General’s face. The Jedi pulled away slightly, face flushed and warm beneath Cody’s fingers.

“General, I–”

“Call me Obi-Wan, Cody,” the Gen– Obi-Wan interrupted.

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” Cody said, “I… I apologise if this is too straight-forward but can I…” he trailed off, unsure of how to ask. Obi-Wan gently stroked Cody’s cheekbone, a soft smile on his face. Cody swallowed down his nerves and looked up at Obi-Wan. “Can I… kiss you?”

Obi-Wan breathed out a quiet laugh, eyes sparkling. “Oh, dearheart, of course,” he said, “you never needed to ask.”

Cody had to process the answer at first, brain not quite catching up with what was happening. His heart skipped a beat as he leaned in, closing his eyes as his lips met Obi-Wan’s. Cody hadn’t kissed anyone before (if you don’t count when Rex got too drunk for his own good), but he was 100% sure that he only wanted to kiss Obi-Wan for the rest of eternity.

He pulled away slowly, leaning his forehead against Obi-Wan’s and listening to the Jedi breathe. “ _Kote_ ,” Obi-Wan murmured, voice nearly inaudible even in the silent room.

“ _Ner’jetii_ ,” Cody responded. He wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan’s waist and buried his face in the other’s shoulder. “Don’t leave, please. I– I love you.”

Obi-Wan’s hands ran through Cody’s hair as he returned the hug just as forcefully, holding on as if Cody would vanish as soon as he let go. “ _Ni kar’taylir gar darasuum, balyc, ner al’verde._ I will never leave you, never again.”

The two stayed there in silence as they relished in each other’s presences, time ticking by unnoticed around them. Jedi General and Clone Commander, reunited at last.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed!!
> 
> Mando’a Translations:  
> Su cuy’gar, vod - Hello (lit. ‘you’re still alive’), brother  
> Me’bana? – What’s happening/what happened?  
> Al’verde – Commander  
> Vode – Brothers  
> Verde – Soldiers  
> Jetii – Jedi  
> Kote – Glory [Cody’s Mando’a name]  
> Ner’jetii – My Jedi  
> Ni kar’taylir gar darasuum, balyc – I love you, also  
> Ner al’verde – My Commander


End file.
